FASHION NETWORK AFRICA: March 2013

The 'ECOWAS Peace Pageant' is an initiative of 702 Productions with the endorsement and support of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Peace Pageant, which sees the crowning of an ECOWAS PEACE AMBASSADOR, is the biggest and the most influential pageant event in the West African sub-region. This event is an annual event at which a beauty queen, representing one of the 15 West African countries is crowned as a Peace Ambassador for the sub-region for an active period of one year beginning from the day of crowning.

The Pageant is a;

Platform for the continues unification of the people of the sub-region for development and growth within a peaceful environment.
Stage for the showcasing of the different unique cultures of the sub-region
An opportunity and a platform to groom and showcase the talent and intellect of the ladies of the sub-region
Platform to unveil and market West African fashion, art and culture to Africa and the world.
Finally, an opportunity to market West Africa (host country), first, to West Africans, Africans and to the World.

The Peace Pageant has been designed and positioned as THE PAGEANT that will promote peace and the youth agenda of the ECOWAS Commission globally focusing on the issue of Small Arms & Light Weapons (SALW) and its impact on the youth of the sub-region. This, the Commission believes, will bring the agenda of ECOWAS closer to the average citizens in the member states.

It is also a channel for the exposition of our diverse cultures and talents as well as the many peace building and developmental policies and activities of the Commission.

THE EVENT

The ECOWAS Peace Pageant’s event is a night of splendor, culture and the exhibition of the intellectual capabilities of young delegates from the 15 Member States of ECOWAS.

It is also a night of West African fashion, art and music. In a truly global vain, it is also embellished with the participation of an act from the West.

The event night is also the night where an ECOWAS Peace Ambassador is crowned out of the participating member-state delegates, to work with the ECOWAS Commission, the Host Country/City & 702 Productions to champion the course of Peace and Youth Development.

The main event is preceded by a-two weeks (14 days) camping period where each girl is groomed to:

Address and interact with the average man/woman on the street, Presidents and Diplomats.
Work with other girls from different cultural, personality and educational backgrounds towards the achievement of a common goal
Master the act of public speaking that delivers the intended results

In addition to the above, the camping period provides the delegates as well as the production team the opportunity to learn about their host country/city, ECOWAS and SALW's. This is important as every member of the team, delegate or production, is expected, by virtue of participation, to act as an Ambassador for the host country/city as well as ECOWAS.

HOSTING RIGHTS

The ECOWAS Peace Pageant is hosted in rotation and in no particular order, in the various ECOWAS Members States. The venue for each year is determined by the ECOWAS Commission in consultation with the government of the host nation or their representatives.

EVENT MANAGERS

702 Productions Ltd, a Ghanaian-registered limited liability Events Management company, is responsible for the management of the ECOWAS Peace Pageant event which is endorsed by the ECOWAS Commission.

702 PRODUCTIONS

EPP 2011

EPP 2010

EPP 2009

EPP 2008

An ever present and highly respected force in the Nigerian fashion industry, Deola Sagoe's newly launched brand of jeans reaffirms her position at the summit of Nigerian fashion. This iconic African designer continues to reinvent herself, and it is no wonder she remains one of the most acknowledged and recognizable designers to come out of the region.

She has in the past 25 years shown that African designers can match that of any other designers in the world, stitch for stitch. With the verve and panache with which every inch of fabric is skillfully mended into a colourful work of art, she continues to aspire for greatness and inspire greatness in others.

Photo by Obi Somto and styling by Fauzzi

Her latest designs can be described as Nigeria's answer to any brand from any top designer in the world.

With the opening of her flagship store both home and abroad, we are set to see Deola Sagoe continue to push boundaries and reach new frontiers in 2013, as she paves the way for a new generation of African designers.

We leave you with images of models from the ISIS Models stable donning her latest brand.

(Pictured: Bunmi Ademokoya; a top Afircan model, and Kingsley Ushie; a rising star in the industry.)